rich simple syrup is a solution of sugar and water, prepared in a ratio of two parts sugar to one part water. The “rich” in the syrup’s name is shorthand for the higher sugar-to-water ratio than that found in simple syrup (commonly mixed in a 1:1 ratio), and many choose to use a full-flavored raw sugar such as turbinado or demerara when preparing it, lending additional weight to the descriptor. Rich simple syrup adds slightly less dilution to a drink than simple syrup and is more resistant to spoilage. The term was occasionally used in the nineteenth century and was revived in 2003 by drinks historian David Wondrich specifically to describe the version with raw sugar.
simple syrup.Wondrich, David. Killer Cocktails. New York: HarperResource, 2005.
By: Paul Clarke